Chateau De Pierrefonds

Chateau De Pierrefonds is a castle located in the commune of Pierrefonds in the Oise department of France.  The castle carries the characteristics of a defensive military structure from the Middle Ages, although major restoration occurred on the castle in the 19^th century.  The castle was built in the 12^th century and two centuries later King Charles VI turned the County of Valois, which includes Pierrefonds, into a Duchy and gave the fortress and surrounding land to his brother Louis, Duke of Orleans.  The chateau was rebuilt during 1393-1407.  The castle was later besieged and torn down by Louis XIII at the beginning of the 17^th century, but due to the enormity of the task, much of the castle remained with the exception of the roofs and the holes made in the towers and curtain walls.  For nearly two centuries the castle laid in ruins, until Napoleon I bought it in 1810 for less than 3,000 francs.  The fortress was restored and declared a national historic interest in 1848.  The BBC used the castle for their filming of the series, Merlin.  The castle was also used in the filming of Highlander series and a cut scene of the castle was used for Disney’s, Wizards of Waverly Place.